SV 98 has filled the vacant position of Sporting Director at its youth academy. Maximilian Mehring succeeds Björn Müller. The 39-year-old had previously been serving as interim coach at the Lilies' youth academy. SV 98 has also adjusted its reporting structure within the youth academy.
Björn Kopper, Head of the Youth Academy: „Max has done an outstanding job as interim coach over the past few months, initiating and developing numerous projects in this role. Following Björn Müller’s departure, he has already addressed many areas that fall within the purview of the Sporting Director. He has impressively demonstrated his ability to fulfill this role effectively. It was therefore only logical to integrate him into the Youth Academy in this capacity. For us, it’s ideal to have someone who is already familiar with our processes, while simultaneously having gained experience at other clubs and thus bringing a fresh perspective.“
Paul Fernie, Sporting Director of SV 98: „As liaison coach, Max has been an important contact person for me since last summer. In our discussions, we quickly realised that we share similar ideas regarding the sporting direction and development in the youth sector and the transition to the senior team. He managed to establish connections with all departments within the youth academy in a short time, always keeping the big picture in mind. This 360-degree view is very important for a sporting director. We are absolutely convinced that he will fill the new position very well with his meticulousness, his ideas, and his intuition.“
Maximilian Mehring: „I’m looking forward to this new challenge and am very grateful to the club for the trust they’ve placed in me. The club has clear ideas and visions for the next steps in the development of its youth academy. For me, it’s a great incentive to be able to play an even more active role in shaping this process in the future. And all this in an environment where I’ve felt very comfortable from day one.“
During his playing career, Mehring made three appearances in the second division and a total of 110 appearances in the regional league, including 23 for Darmstadt 98. After his playing career, the Worms native worked as an assistant and head coach at Wormatia Worms, Waldhof Mannheim, and SV Sandhausen. Mehring has held the position of interim coach at SV 98 since July 2025.
SV 98 will fill the interim coach position permanently in due course.
SV 98 Adjusts Reporting Structure
To further improve coordination between the professional players‘ division and SV 98’s governing bodies, the club has adjusted its reporting structure. Going forward, the youth academy, represented by Björn Kopper, will no longer report directly to the club’s board of directors, but rather to the managing director of the professional players‘ division, Tom Eilers, and sporting director, Paul Fernie, on a topic-specific basis. While Eilers will be primarily responsible for strategic, organisational, and infrastructural matters, all sporting matters will fall under Fernie’s purview. Both Eilers and Fernie will continue to report directly to the board of directors.
On Sunday, the Lilies face a challenge in Baden: for the 8th matchday, SV Darmstadt 98 travel to take on Karlsruher SC. At the pre-match press conference, our head coach discussed the squad situation, the qualities of the opposition, and the team's motivation to get back to winning ways on the road.
On Sunday (October 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. KSC has a history that extends well beyond the confines of German football: the club from Baden once caused a stir on the European stage, writing a chapter that is still remembered today. But how did KSC manage to step into the international spotlight, and what made this success so special?
The next away match is coming up: this Sunday (October 18th, 1:30pm), the Lilien will visit Karlsruher SC for the 8th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. As always, you can find all the essential information regarding travel and your visit to the stadium in the fan guidelines.
SV Darmstadt 98 invites all its members to come to the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on November 1st, 2026, starting at 11:30am. Together, we aim to once again create the largest team photo in our club’s history—with the professional players in the front and the entire Lilies family behind them.
On Sunday (Oct 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. The side from Baden differs from the Lilies in several key respects. Furthermore, the match will see SV 98 cross paths with a former player once again. Find out here about other connections between the two clubs, as well as some particularly interesting statistics ahead of the encounter.
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
Tickets for the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim on November 22nd are available for purchase now.
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team proved their mettle at home against KSV Hessen Kassel II in the Hessenliga on Sunday (Oct. 11th). After a convincing 90-minute performance, the Young Lilies secured another three points, finishing with a decisive 4–0 victory that lifts them to sixth place in the standings.
The Lilies overturned an early deficit to celebrate a 3–1 home victory against Energie Cottbus—a win that boosts confidence and confirms the progress being made. Read our analysis to find out why there is still work to be done and what positives SV 98 takes away from the match.
This season, too, Lilien fans will be doubly rewarded for every home goal scored by SV Darmstadt 98. In addition to the joy and excitement of the goals, the team's supporters will receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
After the international break, Darmstadt 98 returned to the Bölle with a home win! Against Energie Cottbus, SV Darmstadt 98 put on a spirited performance in front of their home crowd and rewarded themselves with three points after an intense match. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here: